


Meeting Edda

by WinterFaerie



Series: A Realm Reborn: Shion's beginning. [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Avere is a jerk, Bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26534380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterFaerie/pseuds/WinterFaerie
Summary: Shion leaves Gridania to deliver missives to the other city states and ends up spending much more time in La Noscea than she expected. The Yellowjackets take note of her efforts to assist the people and ask her to assist them in a rather dangerous investigation. On her way to the site, she runs into a frantic conjurer and realizes that maybe being without a party is better than being with one so toxic.
Series: A Realm Reborn: Shion's beginning. [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1917160
Comments: 1





	Meeting Edda

**Author's Note:**

> This little bit of story takes place before Shion ventures into Sastasha. She meets Edda and immediately feels bad for the poor girl.

Leaving Gridania was difficult.  
At first. 

Shion could tell when they arrived in Thanalan because the air went from being humid to breath stealing hot. A dry heat that made her eyes and lips hurt. Ul’dah was known as the Jewel of the Desert. It was quickly noted by Shion that most people around here would do just about anything to make gil because those with gil held most the power. Thieves and con-artists, gladiators and merchants, young and old, everyone was here to seek their fortune. 

Everyone except Shion. She hated the scorching heat and found herself immediately put off by how self serving the people were. Delivering the missive from the Elder Seedseer was her primary goal but she did want to stop by another place while she was there. . . 

Her new blade was cheap and dull, she noted, running her finger carefully along the bronze edge. Shion didn’t have any interest in becoming a gladiator for the pits of Ul’dah but she DID have much interest in the idea of becoming a knight. Or something akin to a knight. A hero wielding sword and shield, wearing shining armour and coming to the aid of whomever needed her most. 

Despite the gladiators guild being in there, Shion VASTLY favored Limsa Lominsa over Ul’dah. Part of it was how the people and their livelihoods revolved around trade by sea and fishing. Part of it was as simple as the smell of the sea and the salt carried by the wind. The stench of fishermen and those who’ve spent far too much time out in the sun. Sweat and sea. 

Gods, she missed her father and brothers. 

Limsa Lominsa was not home though and a good portion of the people there were just as self-serving as they were in Thanalan. Limsa was known as the city of pirates and it didn’t take her long to find out why. It was a rowdy population, composed of many, many different pirate factions. They all somehow came together to make Limsa Lominsa into a legitimate city-state. These pirates liked to drink and brawl at night and that fun sometimes bled into the daylight hours. They were loud and sometimes incredibly difficult to understand with their accents. They clapped Shion on the shoulder heavily and made her jolt forward each time, jesting over how puny she was for an ‘up and coming hero’. 

They all paid well for the work she did for them though and she even got more practice with her new sword. Every day was a new ache but it began to hurt in a good way. Shion finally felt accomplished and proud of the things she did for people. No matter how big or small the task was, she took absolute pride in being the one people could count on. 

Soon however, she was sent out of the city to investigate an old maze of caves known as Sastasha Seagrot. It was rumored that a group of local murderous pirates, the Serpent Reavers, were seen wandering in carrying supplies. In hopes to put an end to the pirates' terror over the folks in and around Aleport, Shion would find out where they were hiding… 

Shion left Aleport and began the short walk towards the seagrot, her mind and nerves buzzing. Her fingers curled, uncurled, stretched out, curled back in again, the knuckles cracking. She was so lost in her own thoughts on the mission she was given that she almost toppled over as a young woman rushed past her, their shoulders knocking into one another. 

The woman gasped and briefly juggled the armful of glass bottles she carried, dropping one that crashed and broke at Shion’s boots. 

“I-I’m so sorry! Are you okay?? Sorry!” She cried out in a hurry, adjusting her armload. 

This girl was maybe an inch or so taller than Shion. She wore long brown robes and a pointed hat to match. She was plain with her brown hair and dull garments but judging by the elm staff on her back, Shion could tell she was a conjurer. That’s why it was peculiar that she was carrying healing potions. 

“.. I’m alright. Are YOU alright? You seem-” 

No more words were able to slip out before the young mage held her potions tighter and she blurted out, “I’m sorry! I have to go!” before rushing off up the road as if her life depended on it. 

Going the same direction herself, Shion decided to jog after her.

Finally, Shion arrived at the small camp set up just outside of Sastasha and her eyes once again fell to the potion carrying woman. Out of breath and distraught, she handed the potions over to who Shion would only assume were her friends. Her opinion quickly changed however. 

An Elezen archer laughed in between messy gulps from her bottle of ale. “Bwahahahah! You’re so slow, Edda! You could lose a footrace to a tree slug!” 

The paladin pulled off his helmet, dragging a bronze plated forearm across his sweaty forehead. He took the potion with no amount of care and popped it open letting the cork fall into the healer’s hand. 

“What took ye so bloody long, Edda? If me purse was too light, ye might’ve considered usin’ some of yer own bleedin’ coin to get us what we needed! Ye’ve only ever been as useful as the contents o’ ye pockets- the gods know ye can barely ‘eal a scratch!” 

He brought the potion to his dry lips and tossed it back and once the bottle was empty, he dropped it back into Edda’s arms. Avere continued his berating, leaning forward slightly and widening his arms out, “We took up the ‘venturin’ like to take on the big jobs an’ claim the big rewards! How’re we meant to do that if ye can’t even get our supplies in order??” 

Edda, the healer, gasped for breath with her hands on her knees and her face hot. “..I-I’m sorry, Avere! I came as fast I could!” Her lower lip quivered as Avere began to open his mouth again. 

“Hey! Cut her some slack!” At some point, Shion’s hands turned into fists at her sides and she had been grinding her teeth. 

Avere glanced over at her lazily before his eyes rapidly widened and then narrowed again. He lifted a finger to jab in the air towards Shion, 

“It’s you! The one Baderon was talkin’ to!” He accused sharply. “Well, we’ll see who gets the glory! This job should have been ours in the first place!” 

Shion’s brows furrowed but before she could say much else, a yellowjacket wandered over.  
“Miss Ayanami, it’s good to see you’ve come. I’m sure you already know what your objective is?” 

Shion hesitated, dark blue eyes ticking down to Edda who was gazing up at her with wide teary eyes and blush lingering in her cheeks. She offered the poor healer an encouraging smile before saying, “Good luck, miss. It’s hard to get started as a new adventurer.. Even more so when you have so much pressure on your shoulders as a conjurer in charge of her … party.” That last word had a toxic edge to it as she lifted her gaze again to glance between the rest of the group with a frown. 

Finally, the yellowjacket had Shion’s full attention despite the eyes she could feel burning into her back. 

“I’m supposed to poke around the caves and figure out who’s been using them. Right?” 

A nod was given in response and Shion lifted her hand to her heart. “I will do my best.” She then took a deep breath and forcemarched herself into the cave alone without looking back at the group.


End file.
